Wireless data communications are a critical component of mobile computing and have become increasingly popular due to the continued development of mobile computing technologies and the deployment of massive infrastructures. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, etc.) Examples of such multiple access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, high speed packet access (HSPA), wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, among others. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project 3GPP, 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple access communication systems may support simultaneous communication for multiple mobile devices in a network. Each mobile device may communicate with an operator network (e.g., a cellular network), other mobile devices, by connecting to one or more access points (e.g., base stations, relay nodes, etc) of the network via radio frequency (RF) transmissions. The various available technologies that comprise the spectrum of wireless data communications often differ in local availability, coverage range and performance. Cellular networks are one type of wireless data network, where wireless service is provided over a geographical area, and this service area is divided into a number of smaller (sometimes overlapping) regions known as cells. Each cell is served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site, base station, or base transceiver station (BTS). Individual nodes are also commonly referred to as nodes, node base stations (“node Bs”), or eNB (“enhanced node base stations”). When joined together, the network provided by these cells, stations, and/or nodes can cover a significantly wide area. This enables a large number of user-operated mobile computing devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) to communicate to other nodes in the network via the base stations.
Conventionally, the equipment comprising the cell sites and base stations may be co-located with antennas and assorted electronic communications equipment, and usually combined with a radio mast, tower or other high place, for better radio coverage in a cellular network. The elevated structure may include antennas, and one or more sets of transmitter/receivers, transceivers, digital signal processors, control electronics, GPS receivers, primary and backup electrical power sources, and sheltering. The combined appearance of so much technological equipment is often considered unnatural, conspicuous, and/or aesthetically displeasing. Accordingly, some cities require that cell sites be inconspicuous, for example blended with the surrounding area. One solution is to create modified treescapes by hiding cell towers inside an artificial tree or preserved tree.
Even more recently, base transceiver station units have been developed which are much smaller in size than traditional base station units. These units, referred to as small cells, or small cell base stations, have both an improved appearance (e.g., are less conspicuous), and, due to their size, may be co-located with other small cells to provide greater service in dense, urban areas. Where the size of traditional base station units limit their location to on or near ground level, the reduced size of small cells also allow small cell units to be deployed with or on pre-existing, elevated city structures, such as traffic lights, lampposts, building corners, etc, thereby eliminating the need for a cell tower.
However, being deployed at elevated locations prevents maintenance, repair, and post-deployment configuration from being performed easily, especially when a connection to the operator network cannot be utilized, e.g., when the base station is disconnected from the operator network, or a connection is malfunctioning or configured incorrectly. In such instances, because a remote computing device would no longer be able to access the base transceiver station through the network, a service technician or maintenance engineer would be required to physically connect to the base transceiver station (e.g., through a cable), to be able to perform any kind of repair or diagnosis, typically through the local maintenance terminal (LMT) of the base transceiver station. Whereas traditional base stations located at or near ground level may be configured by physically coupling a mobile maintenance device (such as a laptop or smartphone, etc.) to a port in the base station and accessing the LMT with relative ease, the often-elevated deployment of small-cell base stations can make physically connecting a maintenance device in order to access the LMT difficult and/or dangerous, often requiring specialized equipment (ladders, forklifts, etc.), and additional time to procure the equipment and for an engineer or maintenance technician to create the physical connection. This may result in further delays and increased capital and operational expenses in the maintenance, configuration, and repair of small-cell base transceiver stations deployed in the field.